Keys for the Milwaukee Bucks to win their series against the Chicago Bulls

Keys for the Milwaukee Bucks to win their series against the Chicago Bulls: Keep track of Mr. 4th Quarter

Basketball, more than any other team sport, can be greatly influenced by the performance of one individual player. In baseball, an outfielder can ruin a no-hitter for a pitcher. In football, a wide receiver can drop a perfectly thrown pass from the quarterback.

In basketball, however, the coach can decide to put the ball in the hands of his closer and instruct everyone else to get out of the way. In the case of the Chicago Bulls, that closer has been DeMar DeRozan all season long.

For instance, DeRozan put on a clinic on March 31st at the United Center. In a seesaw battle with the Los Angeles Clippers, DeRozan decided he would not let the Bulls lose. He went on to score 17 points in the fourth quarter and added 10 more in overtime for good measure. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls emerged victorious, and DeRozan ended the day with 50 points. That is exactly the type of performance Milwaukee cannot afford to let DeRozan have in the playoffs.

The Milwaukee Bucks are a team that has been near the championship hunt for the last four seasons. This year, the team looks very capable of returning to the NBA Finals. However, their first-round opponent, the Chicago Bulls, is a team that should not be taken lightly.

Chicago hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017 and they are itching to get back to their winning ways. If the defending champs aren’t careful, they’ll find themselves in an uphill battle against a team that would very much like to be on the right side of an upset.

The Greek Freak and his supporting cast have never been known for complacency, and if they’re going to get past the first round, they’ll have to maintain the same sense of urgency they’ve always had.